Chapter 188: Unprovoked Disaster
"Junior Brother Zhang, all the martial artists in Heavenly Demon Martial City are spreading rumors that you have reached the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm. A top-tier genius like you is truly admirable. When I was at the Mysterious Extreme Realm, I only managed to reach twelfth place on the Mysterious Ranking, far from the Supreme Extreme Realm."
Chen Xi'er had an excellent personality and was quite talkative, always wearing a smile on her face.
Her blue pupils sparkled like gems, emitting a charming light. The bells on her head gently collided, producing a rhythmic and pleasant sound.
Walking alongside her felt like a spring breeze brushing against one's face.
Zhang Ruochen said, "That's just a rumor. How easy is it to reach the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm?"
Chen Xi'er nodded lightly. She also didn't believe Zhang Ruochen could achieve the Supreme Extreme Realm, but she would never say such a thing out loud.
Her face still carried a sweet smile: "At the Mysterious Extreme Realm, as long as one's maximum speed exceeds seventy-five meters per second, they can be recorded in the annals of the Martial Market Academy. With Junior Brother Zhang's talent, even if you haven't reached the Supreme Extreme Realm of the Mysterious Extreme Realm, you surely qualify to be recorded in history, right?"
Chen Xi'er was probing, trying to find out Zhang Ruochen's current maximum burst speed.
In the world of martial arts, nothing is indestructible; only speed cannot be broken.
Except for special circumstances, the faster a martial artist's speed, the stronger their strength.
Had Zhang Ruochen's speed exceeded seventy-five meters per second?
Zhang Tianqui, the number one genius of the thirty-six commanderies of Heavenly Demon Ridge, had a maximum speed of only seventy-three meters per second at the Mysterious Extreme Realm. In Chen Xi'er's view, Zhang Ruochen's talent should be on par with Zhang Tianqui, making it unlikely he could reach seventy-five meters per second.
Zhang Ruochen pretended not to understand her implication. He couldn't exactly tell her that he had already reached a burst speed of eighty meters per second.
If Chen Xi'er learned of this, she would surely be shocked.
After all, in the entire near-ancient era, only nine people had achieved a speed of eighty meters per second at the Mysterious Extreme Realm.
Zhang Ruochen could be said to be the tenth person in ten thousand years.
Seeing that Zhang Ruochen remained silent, Chen Xi'er asked again, "I'm curious—since Junior Brother's cultivation has reached the peak of the Mysterious Extreme Realm's Great Perfection, why haven't you broken through to the Earth Extreme Realm?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "Breaking through martial realm too quickly isn't necessarily a good thing. I want to settle down for a while, make my true qi purer, and lay a firmer foundation before breaking through to the Earth Extreme Realm."
"I see." Chen Xi'er nodded gently, then smiled with bright eyes and white teeth: "With Junior Brother Zhang's talent, you should indeed lay a solid foundation and strive to break through to the Heavenly Extreme Realm before the age of thirty."
As they spoke, the two had already arrived outside the Merit Tower.
Zhang Ruochen spent three drops of Half-Saint True Liquid to exchange for six hundred merit points.
When he walked out of the Merit Tower, Chen Xi'er was still waiting outside.
As for Xiao Hei, he was nowhere to be seen.
Zhang Ruochen wasn't worried about Xiao Hei. That creature was an old hand at cunning and couldn't be judged by ordinary savage beast standards. With his shrewdness, even in the inner palace of the Martial Market Academy, he wouldn't suffer losses.
Chen Xi'er didn't ask how many merit points Zhang Ruochen had exchanged. She explained, "Junior Brother Zhang, each time you enter a cultivation chamber, it costs one hundred merit points. One entry allows you to cultivate for half a month. Also, if Huo Sheng and Zhao Minggong dare to trouble you again, come directly to me, and I'll deal with them for you."
"Thank you, Senior Sister Chen," Zhang Ruochen said.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen wouldn't actually go to Chen Xi'er. After all, they had only met twice and had no real friendship.
Chen Xi'er smiled with bright eyes and white teeth: "You're my cousin-in-law, why be so polite? I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave. We'll catch up when we have time."
Zhang Ruochen watched Chen Xi'er's slender retreating figure, feeling somewhat uneasy.
At first, Chen Xi'er had given him a good impression—not only beautiful but also approachable. However, as their conversation deepened, he felt she was deliberately getting close to him.
It always seemed like she was shrouded in a layer of mist, making it hard to see her true face.
"Was she deliberately approaching me?"
"How could that be? She's at the middle stage of the Earth Extreme Realm and the daughter of the Great Palace Master. Why would she actively approach an outer palace disciple?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head lightly, thinking he was overthinking. A proud daughter of heaven like Chen Xi'er had such high standards—how could she fancy a prince from a lowly commandery?
As for it being because of Huang Yanchen, that was even less likely. Since Chen Xi'er knew he and Huang Yanchen had fallen out, why would she still be so good to him? After all, she and Huang Yanchen were cousins.
Still, so far, Chen Xi'er was one of the most pleasant women he had ever met. Not only did she have a deep background, but she was also helpful, articulate, and elegant, without any of the willfulness of noble ladies.
In comparison, Huang Yanchen was worlds apart—arrogant, domineering, and reckless. Offending her was a death sentence.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was silently comparing Huang Yanchen and Chen Xi'er, three inner palace disciples in brocade robes approached from the opposite direction. One of them was Zhao Minggong, the guard of Tong Sheng Mountain's gate.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen, Zhao Minggong's face showed a cruel expression like a hawk's, pointing at Zhang Ruochen: "Senior Brother Zuo, he's that outer palace disciple."
Zuo Lengxuan stood at the front, stopping ten steps away from Zhang Ruochen, his eyes carrying a chill: "I thought it was someone else. So it's the number one genius of the Western Courtyard, Zhang Ruochen, who's been making waves lately."
Zhao Minggong was slightly startled: "Senior Brother Zuo, you know him?"
"He's the fiancé of Princess Yanchen. How could I not know him?" Zuo Lengxuan said coldly.
Zhao Minggong's face changed color.
He had thought Zhang Ruochen was just an outer palace disciple, but he didn't expect him to be Princess Yanchen's fiancé.
This was bad.
Princess Yanchen was known as a ruthless person, called the "Female Demon" in the Western Courtyard. If he offended her, how could he have a good time at the Martial Market Academy in the future?
Moreover, Princess Yanchen and Chen Xi'er were cousins.
Princess Yanchen's fiancé walking with Chen Xi'er didn't seem inappropriate, since they would be relatives in the future.
The more Zhao Minggong thought about it, the more afraid he became, wishing he could slap himself. How could he have done something so stupid?
Zuo Lengxuan was also puzzled. Why was Chen Xi'er walking with Zhang Ruochen?
He had been at Tianyue Tower and knew very well that Zhang Ruochen had fallen out with Princess Yanchen over the bidding for the head girl. Chen Xi'er, as Huang Yanchen's cousin, should have been repelled by Zhang Ruochen.
The problem must lie with Zhang Ruochen.
"Zhang Ruochen, have you fallen out with Princess Yanchen and now want to curry favor with Junior Sister Chen? I warn you, stay away from Junior Sister Chen," Zuo Lengxuan said.
In Zuo Lengxuan's view, Princess Yanchen must have already broken off the engagement with Zhang Ruochen. Zhang Ruochen was clinging to Chen Xi'er's coattails to seek protection.
Zhang Ruochen said, "What does it matter to you if I get closer to Senior Sister Chen? Besides, who are you? Do we know each other?"
Zuo Lengxuan was furious. He was a top-fifty martial arts expert at the Martial Market Academy and had a considerable reputation in Heavenly Demon Martial City. How could Zhang Ruochen not know who he was?
He felt Zhang Ruochen was deliberately humiliating him.
Before Zuo Lengxuan could act, Yue Qianfan, standing behind him, stepped forward and shouted, "Zhang Ruochen, you're too arrogant! Senior Brother Zuo is a renowned figure at the Martial Market Academy. As a student there, how could you not know Senior Brother Zuo?"
"Sorry, I really haven't heard of Senior Brother Zuo's great name." Zhang Ruochen didn't want to argue with them and headed straight for Tong Sheng Mountain.
In his view, it was more important to cultivate the Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow to Great Perfection as soon as possible.
Once he achieved that, even an Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist trying to kill him would have a hard time catching him.
Zuo Lengxuan clenched his fists tightly. If not for his status, he would have personally taught Zhang Ruochen a lesson.
After all, he was a top-fifty expert at the Martial Market Academy. If word got out that he was dealing with an outer palace disciple, it would damage his reputation and make Chen Xi'er look down on him.
But he wasn't about to let Zhang Ruochen off easily. He turned slightly and gave Yue Qianfan a signal.
Yue Qianfan understood and nodded, rushing toward Zhang Ruochen to block his path, sneering: "I heard Junior Brother Zhang is a once-in-a-century genius, and even Xun Guihai fell to your hands. I wonder if Junior Brother Zhang would spar with me?"
Without waiting for Zhang Ruochen's reply, Yue Qianfan leaped up and punched at Zhang Ruochen's abdomen.
He wasn't there to spar with Zhang Ruochen but to teach him a lesson.
His fist shone with light, and a powerful wave of air surged like a massive tide crashing toward Zhang Ruochen.
"Whoosh!"
Zhang Ruochen's white robe fluttered from the fist wind generated by Yue Qianfan's punch, his body drifting backward like a leaf blown by the wind.
Zhang Ruochen controlled his center of gravity, raising his hands flat, riding the fist wind to land lightly on the ground.
"At such close range, he still dodged. No wonder he defeated Xun Guihai—he has real skill." Yue Qianfan's first punch missed, and he immediately threw a second.
His fists were as hard as metal and stone, making cracking sounds in the air.
Yue Qianfan's martial cultivation had reached the late stage of the Earth Extreme Realm. His true qi was thick and pure, like the flow of a great river, endless.
With his strength, he could rival an Earth Extreme Realm Small Extreme Position expert, far stronger than Xun Guihai, who had just become an inner palace disciple.
Zhang Ruochen didn't engage Yue Qianfan head-on. He moved his feet, sidestepping to dodge Yue Qianfan's full-force punch.
"Do you think you can dodge forever? Comparing speed with an Earth Extreme Realm martial artist—you're asking for death."
Yue Qianfan sneered, twisted his waist forcefully, and his speed surged. In an instant, he caught up to Zhang Ruochen, spreading his five fingers into a palm strike aimed at Zhang Ruochen's neck.
Yue Qianfan's speed reached eighty-five meters per second. If it were any other Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist, they would likely be dead before they could react.
Just as Yue Qianfan thought his strike would surely succeed—
Zhang Ruochen's figure suddenly split into nine, charging in nine different directions, then turning back to attack him from all sides.
Since the other party was pressing him so hard, Zhang Ruochen wasn't a pushover. He decided to fight back.
If it was a battle, then let's see whose fists were harder.
At that moment, Chen Xi'er stood atop a tall tower, hands behind her back, her graceful figure watching the battle between Yue Qianfan and Zhang Ruochen from afar. Seeing Zhang Ruochen's burst speed, she let out a soft exclamation of surprise.
Chen Xi'er had left early because she knew Zuo Lengxuan was coming. But she hadn't gone far; she had been watching Zhang Ruochen, curious how he would resolve the crisis.
Unexpectedly, she had made an interesting discovery.
Zhang Ruochen's burst speed just now shocked her.